. >> before the election you were asked whether if obama won taxes would have to go up. i are acknowledging that they will. >> the day after the election i came here and made it clear that the republicans would put revenue on the table as a way to begin to move the process to get this resolved. >> my question is, what message do you have for people who look at the negotiating position and believe it's inevitable you'll have to accept some compromise on tax. >> revenue is on the table. but revenue was only on the table if there was a serious spending cut as part of this agreement. it has to be part of the agreement. we have a debt crisis. we are spending too much. and while we are willing to put revenue on the table, we have to recognize is the spending that's out of control. >> roughly what size spending cuts do you think it would take to reach a deal on the fiscal cliff? do you think that at least the promise of spending cuts has to be included in this level deal at this time? >> i don't think there's -- it's productive for either side to lay out hard lines in terms of